Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Dolcetto

I spent plenty of time honing my skills by coming to trade events hosted here by Vias Imports. Image credit: Marriott

It's been a little while since I took the time to shine the spotlight on a grape for you to be introduced to in your wine-drinking adventures. As always, I try to tie these wines into some of my own experiences, and today will be no different. Let me take you to my early days of trying to figure out Italian wine. One of the first things I did when making the change from the tech sector to the alcohol business was to find opportunities to pour wines at trade shows. If there would ever be opportunities to get the combined practical experiences of wine service and knowledge, working a grand portfolio tasting for an importer or distributor would be the perfect place to do it (if you are thinking of getting into the industry, I recommend you do the same).

So twice a year, I would head to New York City's Marriott Marquis to pour wines for Vias Imports, an outstanding importer of (predominantly) Italian wines. Much of my experience with them would be in northern Italy, where I was hit with an incredible array of long-lived wines, unique local varieties, and some interesting cultural crossover with border countries like Austria, Croatia, and France. Yet there will always be one day that will stick out in my mind when I think of these days working a table for five hours straight: my meeting with winemaker Orlando Pecchenino.

Spending five hours with Orlando Pecchenino shaped my understanding of winemaking, in general and Dolcetto, in particular. Image credit: Tom Hyland

I found out I was assigned to work with Pecchenino mere minutes before the show started. I spent a lot of time researching his wines, along with the wines of fellow Piemontese producer Elvio Cogno. Anytime I can have access to a winemaker of premier products, I am going to make the most of my time learning from him or her. I listened to Pecchenino talk about his vineyards and how they are organized. I learned why he plants one grape variety in a block of vineyards and others elsewhere. I got to understand how he determines ageability of wines made from grapes in specific vineyard blocks. While it was great to nerd out to all of this, the thing that really stood out that afternoon was his passion for a single grape variety: Dolcetto [dole-CHAY-toe].

The only thing missing from this picture is a glass of Dolcetto. Image credit: Martha Stewart

Dolcetto is a very popular wine in the Piedmont area of Italy. While Nebbiolo gets all the praise and Barbera is the workhorse, Dolcetto is the choice for the local drinking establishments with large plates of antipasti and other casual meals. It makes wines with very deep color with some examples almost looking like blue ink in your glass. Dolcetto might mean "little sweet one," but these wines are not made into a sweet style; they are bold, aromatic, and finish very dry, but are fruity with a slight tannic/bitter edge to them. The most likely appellation you will encounter with Dolcetto wines is "Dolcetto d'Alba," which you will find from many Barolo and Barbaresco producers as the Dolcetto vineyards will overlap these communes. Since Dolcetto grapes can ripen very quickly, a Piedmont wine producer might plant Dolcetto grapes at higher altitude than their Nebbiolo grapes (destined for Barolo, for instance) to slow down ripening and help preserve what little inherent acidity the grape has.

While Alba has some recognition for Dolcetto, other grapes like Barbera and Nebbiolo can thrive there to make quality wines. On the other hand, the nearby small town of Dogliani is exclusively devoted to Dolcetto in Piedmont. Producers in Dogliani might own vineyards outside the area to make Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera-based wines, but the focus is on Dolcetto here. With Dolcetto wines from Alba being fragrant and approachable in youth, Dogliani wines are more powerful and structured, many of which hold incredible aging potential. In fact, at the event with Orlando Pecchenino, he opened a magnum of his entry-level stainless steel-fermented "San Luigi" that was a decade old and I can only explain the flavor as red and black cherries wrapped in leather and Italian herbs. It was incredible. I can only imagine what his oak-aged "Siri d'Jermu" (12 months in large oak barrel) and "Bricco Botti" (2 years in old oak barrel) would taste like after 10 years in bottle.

Dolcetto offers so much for your senses, showing itself in many styles. If you have some cash laying around to spend on wine, I highly encourage you to try Pecchenino's three Dolcetto wines as a flight; it will run you close to $100 for the three wines. But if the budget is tighter, or you can't get access to the whole range, I have three wines for you to try that you should be able to find at your local shop.

G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d'Alba ($15): A perfect intro to the grape, this Dolcetto is loaded with blackberries and smoked meat flavor with just a touch of tannins and pleasant bitter edge on the finish.

Elio Grasso Dolcetto d'Alba dei Grassi ($19): An outstanding Barolo producer, this is a great way to get to know Grasso's powerful styles. Deep purple, almost opaque in the glass, this is very full-bodied with a ripe plum fruit that is similar to New World Merlot's flavor and plushness. However, the herbaceous and peppery notes are the major difference here with noticeable tannins.

Pecchenino Dogliani San Luigi ($22): This has to be in your lineup to get to know Dogliani. Stainless steel fermented, the wine has lively cherry flavors with violet, rose, and smoke. Acidity and tannin are more noticeable compared to the other two wines. Finishes savory, but fresh. 

Back to Basics: Premium Blends Around The World

You may have noticed that a lot of my posts have been of the exotic variety of late. Aside from recapping vacation adventures, I have gone into great detail on cocktails, plenty of spirits, and unusual grape varieties. So today, it's time to ease up on the gas a little and get back to basics with some good straight-up wine discussion. In this edition of Flight School, I share with you some classic and interesting red and white blends of which I have really received a high level of enjoyment from.

Franciscan Estate Winery does a blending class on-site, but we were fortunate to get one of their blending kits for our classroom. Image credit: Franciscan Estate

At the store, we once ran a blending session using Franciscan Estate's "Magnificat" as our reference point, a kit that is sold by the winery. It is a lot of fun to take the five grapes from the Magnificat (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) and create your own wine in the proportions you see fit. Tasting your own "Franken-wine" alongside the Magnificat is a great practical exercise in how the different grape varieties play off of one another.

When it comes to wine blends, remember that there is always a method to the madness. While it used to be that some producers would just throw disorganized grapes into the fermentation vats and make a wine from them, individual grape varieties are bringing something to the party. The goal is for the grapes to work in harmony to achieve a desired style. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, for example, have long been partners in Bordeaux wines; Cabernet's "structure" (acid, tannin, and aromatics) have often been a foil for Merlot's plush texture and ripe fruit flavor. However, one can also amplify a specific characteristic in a blend. In an example like this, A Merlot-Malbec blend in Argentina will feel ultra-soft on your palate with very ripe fruit flavors since the two grapes have some marked similarities.

I have three whites and three reds for you to try that have been recent favorites of mine. None of these break the bank and provide you with casual, yet interesting wines to enjoy.

The White Wine Flight

Wieninger Wiener Gemischter Satz ($20): You may remember me mentioning "Gentil" blends as a way to get introduced to the grapes of Alsace, France. Gemischter Satz is a similar concept in Austria. This particular blend is mostly Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, Welschriesling, and Chardonnay, but there are smaller proportions of many local varieties like Riesling, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, Sylvaner, Traminer, Neuberger. The producer refers to this as "All of Vienna in One Wine." This is aromatic and fresh with delicate citrus and stone fruits, along with some minerally/earthy notes. Perfect with lighter seafood dishes or as a counter to Wiener Schnitzel!

Domaine Lafage Côtes Catalanes "Côté Est" ($14): The Côtes Catalanes region of France near the Spanish border is delivering great value with these unique blends of native and international varieties. Côté Est uses Grenache Blanc (popular for its body, alcohol, and tropical fruit), Roussanne (a high-acid aromatic white grape of the Rhône Valley) and the well-known Chardonnay. The end result is a vibrant, yet creamy white wine with pineapple, apricot, and wild herbs.

Castellargo Friuli Grave "Albus" ($16): Friuli is tucked away in the far northeast of Italy, touching the Austrian and Slovenian borders. Native grape Friulano is blended in near equal proportions with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to create a pungent citrus, herbaceous, earthy wine with some texture on the palate and a slightly floral nose. Delicious with a pasta of fresh herbs and green veggies.

The Red Wine Flight

Viberti Langhe "Dolbà" Rosso ($16): The "Dolbà" refers to the blend of Dolcetto (40%) and Barbera (60%). Dolcetto (translates to "the little sweet one") when fully ripened gives you wines with dark berry, almost jammy fruit that has some tannin and strong aromatics. Barbera is the workhorse grape of the Piedmont area, and in this case provides plenty of acid and fresh red cherry fruit to counter the Dolcetto. A wonderful pizza wine!

Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône ($18): Solitude is a well-regarded producer of the ageworthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In some ways, this is the "baby version" of their flagship wine. 50% Grenache (for body and berry fruit flavor), 30% Syrah (for dark, earthy fruit, acid, and tannin), 15% Cinsault (for juicy red raspberry fruit and acid), and 5% Carignan (for additional "structure" such as acid and tannin). What you get is a well-balanced, versatile red blend that goes great with anything from a burger in summertime to a hearty stew in winter.

Graffigna Centenario Elevation San Juan Red Blend ($14): This is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec (both well-suited for many Argentine wines), Syrah, Tannat (an old Southwestern French grape that actually thrives in neighboring Uruguay!) and Bonarda (a fruity red grape that gets lost in the shuffle at times). Tannat's structural and dark fruit content are very high, and Bonarda's fruitiness and full body help counter the aggressiveness of Tannat (which takes its name from "tannin"). The Syrah actually adds a touch of smokiness to the finished wine, too. Sear a cut of red meat, pour a glass of the Elevation, and be happy!